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Learn to taste wine: Basic tips. The first thing we must know is that a wine tasting is to put all our senses in a state of concentration to be able to perceive each and every one of the characteristics and properties that wine offers.
We recall here some things mentioned in a previous blog related to this topic.
Learn to taste wine: Basic h2 tips
In a wine tasting all our senses intervene
The View h3
Things enter by sight, and therefore the first thing that we appreciate of a wine is its color. Its color tells us the structure of the wine. So if it’s a dark wine, we’ll know it’s a fleshy wine. We can also determine the age of the wine. This is whether it is a young or aging wine. The border that is the part of the wine that touches with the glass, in the young wines presents a violet color. On the other hand, the wines of aging or reserve, have a rim of color tile product of the oxidation that has been carried out in the barrel.
The Scent
Through smell, we perceive the aromas of wine. A small movement of inclination of the cup, causes the wine to open and in this way remove its aroma in an easier way. Basically the aromas can be of two types: fruity aromas or aromas of wood product of the barrel (coffee, leather, vanilla).
Also by the smell we can perceive if a wine is bad or not. If the wine is bad (unlikely) it emits an odor of vinegar, which is known as “vinegary”. Normally in these cases the problem is in the cork that has let air through. Hence, many experts smell the cork before smelling the wine.
The smell of cork is another smell that I can perceive and denotes that wine has a defect.
The taste
Through the mouth we can perceive several aspects of wine
We can detect the degree of acidity, the texture and the degree of alcohol. Our taste organs can identify four types of flavors:
• Sweets: depends on the type of grape used and the region where it has been produced.
• Acids: associated with the freshness of wine
• Bitterness: determined by the tannins, and whose perception is dryness in the mouth.
• This flavor is only found in manzanilla wines.
Other aspects that we have to take into account to learn how to taste wine are:
The memory
It is the feeling left by the wine after a while.
The cup
To make the tasting of a wine we must select the ideal glass for each wine. It must also be perfectly clean and contain no residues or residues of any beverage.
Water
It is advisable to have a pitcher with water when you are making a tasting, to clean your mouth between wine and wine. We can also use water to rinse the glass before the next wine we test.
Pencil and paper
To be able to write down the sensations that we perceive. In addition, with the passage of time and reviewing the annotations, we will acquire more knowledge.
Spittoon
It is a very necessary element, since we must expel the tried wine in some container and not have to swallow it. In this way, we collect the wine tasted in a clean way.
White surface
It is the best way to detect the color of the wine, against a white surface. We will contrast its color against a white background. A napkin, a tablecloth, or any other background can be used as a white background.
The place
Where the tasting takes place, it must be a place that meets certain conditions. It must be a place with natural light, if possible. If they do not have natural light, it should be white light, and with sufficient intensity.
It should also be an airy and ventilated place. It will be a dry place without humidity.
With these ten tips you will get a tasting done in the best condition.